So Jaafer came to the window and
looking towards the garden, saw the pavilion flaming with light,
in the darkness of the night, and thinking that this might be by
the leave of the keeper, for some good reason of his own, was
minded to make an excuse for him. So he said, 'O Commander of the
Faithful, Gaffer Ibrahim said to me last week, "O my lord Jaafer,
I desire to circumcise my sons during thy life and that of the
Commander of the Faithful." "What dost thou want?" asked I; and
he said, "Get me leave from the Khalif to hold the festival in
the pavilion." So I said to him, "Go, circumcise them, and I will
see the Khalif and tell him." So he went away and I forgot to
tell thee.' 'O Jaafer,' said the Khalif, 'thou hast committed two
offences against me, first, in that thou didst not tell me,
secondly, in that thou didst not give the old man what he sought;
for he only came and told thee this, by way of hinting a request
for some small matter of money, to help him out with the
expenses; and thou gavest him nothing nor toldest me.' 'O
Commander of the Faithful,' replied Jaafer, 'I forgot.' 'By the
virtue of my forefathers,' rejoined the Khalif, 'I will not pass
the rest of the night but with him, for he is a pious man, who
consorts with the elders of the faith and the fakirs: doubtless
they are now assembled with him and it may be that the prayer of
one of them may profit us both in this world and the next.
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